Well bailer



2 Sheets-Sheet l F. H. ECKERT Nov. 2, 1943.

WELL BAILER Filed Jan. 18,

F. H. Ecm-:RT

Nov. 2, 1943.

WELL BAILER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1941 7&9

rwa/wtoa Iii/@MFE Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFI'CE WELL BAILER Felix H. Eckert, San Antonio, Tex.

Application January 18, 1941, Serial No. 375,059

(C1. 16s-L19) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to well bailers and has for its objectthe more eicient removal of sand and other accumulations in the bottoms of oil wells which have caused the wells to cease flowing.

Another object is to utilize the fluid under pressure above the accumulated material for the purpose of lling the bailer.

A further object is to provide a bailer which can be applied at any point in the well below the fluid level and above the wel1 bottom, a new and novel arrangement of slips being employed for cooperation with the inner wall of the casing or the oil tubing string.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describe-d and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the bailer, a portion being removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the Structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged .central longitudinal section through the bailer tube and cylinder and their valves.

Figure 4 is a view of a portion of the bailer and showing the relativepositions of the parts on the completion of the initial upward pull effected during the operation of anchoring the bailer in the well casing.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the relative positions of the parts during the next step in the operation of anchoring the bailer yin a casing at which time the bailer is lowered so that the toothed slips will be held supported by the bowed spring elements so as to become engaged with the inner surface of the casing.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 6--6, Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 'I-T, Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on line S-S, Figure 4.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the toothed face of one of the slips.

Referringv to the figures 'by characters of reftoward the tubeV I.

'erence, I designates the elongated bailer tube closed at its lower'end as shown at 2 wh'ereit ris surrounded by anannularshouldr l3 constivably engaged by a collar 6 which servesto join the tube to the lower end of' a valvev casing 1. This casing has a loop -8 extending upwardly therefrom for engagement'by one' end of tafwire line whereby'the bailer can be raised and-idwered in a well. g

A nipple 9 opens into the lower portion vofthe casing 1 and is extended' downwardly'in col'lar"'6 The upper' end of this nipple provides a seat for 4a ball Valve 4Itengagedjby the lower end of a coiled spring II. This spring is located in the'casing'l and its upperend'is engaged by the footIZ vof a screwIS which vis adjustably mounted in the upper end of the'casing 'i and is adapted to be turned for the purpose of increasing or reducing thecompre'ssi'n of the spring l I thereby to increase or reduce the pressure of the 'valve ID on its seat. p l

The tube I` extends through astuilin'g boxlli located in the upper end portion'of v'a cylinder I5. This cylinder has an extension IGat'its lower end detachablyjoined to'a tip orV coupling Il which can be internally screw-threaded as shown. Extension I6 is providedwith diametrically opposed slots I8 constituting intake'por'ts A portion of the lower end'of cylinder l5 'is exposed within extension I6 to vform anarnular valve seat I9v and this seat is so located rthat it can be engaged by the valve shoulder y3 rwhen the tube I andcylinder I 5 are moved' relative to each other. For the purpose of limiting this relative sliding movement of these parts, a longitudinal slot 20 is formed inthe cylinder, this slot being somewhat longerthan the slots I8. Into the slot projects a stud '2l projecting from the tube I.

A coiled spring 22 is mounted'on the tube@ and bears at one end against the stuingbox i4 while its other end bears against-the annular shoulder 23 provided at the lower end of the joint portion 5.

Removably seated within the tip I1 or the*'ex tension I 6 is'the tubularneck 24' of ayoke25 through which is extended a longitudinal Lbore 26. Extending along this bore and 4terminating inwardly from the ends of the yoke are diametrically opposed slots 21. Each of these slots has longitudinal grooves 28 in its side walls and those outer faces of the yoke through which the slots open converge downwardly along straight lines as shown at 29.

Slidably mounted within each of the slots 21 and along the adjacent inclined faces 29, are slips 30 the outer faces of which are formed with ratchet teeth 3l while the sides of each slip have oppositely extending longitudinal ribs 32 adapted to work within the grooves 28. A loop 33 is extendedk downwardly from each of the slips and projecting through the Opposed slots andl through the loops on the respective slips is a pin 34 extended diametrically through the upper end of a rod 35. This pin is held against accidental separation from the rod by means of a set screw 36 and the lower or free end portion of the rod has a head or enlarged portion 31 and a longitudinal recess 38. In this recess isy positioned a spring latch 39. This latch is adapted to normally support a. ring 4B, diametricall;7 opposed portions of which are joined to the lower ends of bowed springs 4I. The upper ends of these springs are joined to separate rings 42 which are mounted loosely on the rod one above the other. The weight of the rings and 42 and of the springs 4I is not sufficient to force the latch 39 back into the groove 38 and, consequently, under normal conditions this latch will hold the ring 40 elevated.

When it is desired to use the bailer at a point above the bottom of the well, the parts, assembled as in Figures 1 and 2, are lowered into the well casing by means of a wire line attached to the loop 8. The arcuate spring elements are normally iiexed outwardly, as in Figure 4, just sufficiently to contact the inner wall of the well casing or tubing but to descend with the bailer without causing ring 4I) to slip past and under the latch 39. During this operation the rings 42 will be brought close to the lower end of. the yoke 25. When the bailer reaches the desired depth the downward movement thereof is stopped and the bailer` is then raised about eight inches. When this is done the arcuate springsM, through their frictional contact with the inner surface of the casing, will be restrained so that the latch 39 will be pulled upwardly through ring 40 and snapped into engagementtherewith as shown in Figure 4. By then suddenly slackening the supporting wireline, the bailerY tube, cylinder and yoke will all move downwardly relative to the supported rod 35 with the result that this rod will transmit a thrust through pin 34 tothe slips 30, causing the teeth thereon to bite into the inner surface of the casing or tubing. The cylinder of the bailer is thus held securely at the desired level. The bailer tube lil is then lowered by slackening the wire line. This will cause the valve shoulder 3 to move away from its seat I9 at the position shown in Figure 3 to a position below ports I8. Thus the ports 4 will oe brought into register with the ports I8 and fluid under pressure and surroundingA the bailer will rush through these ports into tube l and rise in the tube until the pressure in the tube is equal to that of the fluidsurrounding the bailer. The tube I is then pulled upwardly, causing valve 3 to'engage its seat I8 and' thus raising the bailer lled' with fluid to a point'outside of the well. The bailer is then lowered into the slush pit generally provided, the lower end of the rod 35 being brought'against the bottom of the pit. Thus the weight of the bailer tube I causes the tube to 'move' downwardly intothe cylinder and open the ports 4 to the ports I8. During this movement air in the tube I is trapped and placed under great pressure so that as soon as the ports are opened, the iluid contents of the bailer are ejected by this air under pressure with great force.

It is to be understood of course that the spring Il which holds the ball valve I0 to its seat is adjusted to withstand a greater pressure than that which would be exerted by the air and liquid contents of the bailer during the foregoing operation. f

Should it be desired to use the bailer on the bottom of a well, the yoke 25 and the parts carried thereby can be dispensed with. In that event, when the bailer is lowered into the well the lower end of the cylinder tip I1 will be brought to a rest upon the bottom of the well or the accumulations thereon and further downward movement of the wire line will result in the tube l moving under its own weight -from the position shown in Figure 3 to its other extreme position. Thus the iluidwill rush through the ports into the tube I and when the tube is pulled upwardly to seat its valve 3 against the seat I9, this fluid will be trapped in the tube. Thereafter when the elevated bail is lowered into the slush pit, the tip l1 is brought against the bottom of the pit and the tube, when lowered, will not only` open the ports 4 and I8 but also place air in the tube under pressure so that this compressed air will forcibly eject the .contents of the ,tube through the ports and into the slush pit.

It is to be understood, of course, that the valve casing 1 is provided with a vent 43 so that should the valve become `unseated by excessive pressure from within tube I, the released air can escape from the valve casing.

It is to be fur-ther understood that'this bailer can be used like an ordinary bailer simply by removing the valve end, and the parts associated therewith. f

1. In a bailer the combination of a yoke having upwardly diverging-iaces, opposed slips mounted on said yoke for sliding movement along said upwardly diverging faces, a rod within and projecting below the yoke and mounted for limited sliding movement relative to the yoke, means Von one end of the rod and within the yoke fory transmitting motion between the rod and slips, .ahead on the other end of the rod, a latch onthe rod adjacent to the head, opposed bowedV springelements slidably mounted on the rod and secured to a ring at their lower ends, said ring initially being yieldably ,supported by the latch, rings at the upperends of the spring elements slidably mounted on the rod, said springelements frictionally engaging the well wall, a'cyli'nder connected to and extending from the yokeand having a slot constituting a port, a bailer tube slidably mounted in the cylinder and havinga port normally closed thereby, yieldable means for holding the"bailer tube in normal position in the cylinder, said ports.

being positioned to register when the bailer tube is moved from' normal .position in the cylinder, and a normally closed valve in the bailer tube poitoned to openunder pressure from within the u e. A v

2. The combination of a bailer tube closed at its'lower end and having a port in its side wall adjacent said end, a cylinder telescopically mounted on the lowerend of the tube and having a slot in its side wall near its lower endA arranged to register with the port in the bailer tube to open the bailer when said tube and cylinder are in telescoped relation, co-engageable valve means on the tube in the cylinder initially held in engagernent with each other by said yieldable means when the tube and cylinder are in extended position closing the port in the bailer tube and limiting extended movement of the bailer tube and cylinder, a yoke connected to and depending from the cylinder and having upwardly diverging faces, slips mounted on the yoke for upward movement along said diverging faces, to grip the well wall and anchor the cylinder in the well, a rod slidably mounted within and extending downwardly from the yoke, a coupling pin carried by the rod and slidable within the yoke, loose connections between the slips and coupling pin and cooperating with the pin to provide driving connections between the rod and slips, the rod being enlarged at that end thereof remote from the pin, a spring latch on the rod adjacent the enlarged portion thereof, a lower ring slidable on the rod, bowed spring elements connected to and extending upwardly from said ring and frictionally engaging the well wall, a separate upper ring connected to the upper end of each of the bowed springs and slidably surrounding the rod, said rod and pin providing a lost motion connection between the bowed spring elements and the slips, said rings and bowed spring elements being initially slidably positioned on said rod above the spring latch to ride upwardly on the rod and engage the lower end of the yoke as the device is being lowered into the well, said bowed spring elements being movable into locked position between the rod and casing to hold the slips stationary to permit the yoke to be moved downwardly relative thereto when it is desired to open the bailer.

FELIX H. ECKERT. 

